Mary Lou Belli is an Emmy Award winning producer, writer, and director as well as the author of two books. Most recently she directed Monk starring Emmy award winner Tony Shalhoub and The Wizards of Waverly Place on the Disney Channel. On the CW she directed The Game, the spinoff to Girlfriends- a series Mary Lou directed for 7 consecutive seasons. She directed the pilot of the Web series 3Way, winner of 2 Logo awards and the AfterEllen.com 2008 Visibility Award. With over 100 episodes to her credit, Mary Lou directed Living with Fran starring Fran Drescher, Misconceptions starring Jane Leeves, and Eve starring hip hop artist Eve, as well as The Hughleys, Charles in Charge, Major Dad, and… Sister, Sister. Mary Lou received BET nominations for directing Girlfriends and One on One as well as a Prism Award for Girlfriends. After receiving a BA in theatre from Penn State, Mary Lou acted in musical theatre and soaps in New York, followed by a Los Angeles career producing and directing theatre with over 75 play productions to her credit. She lectures frequently throughout the United States including many universities such as AFI, NYU, Northwestern, and UConn. She is the co-author of two books: The Sitcom Career Book and Acting for Young Actors. She has been a judge for the Miss America Outstanding Teen Pageant, a lecturer at the Chautauqua Institute, and a panelist for Women In Film, the DGA, SAG, and AFTRA. She's judged the California Independent Film Festival, the Sapporo Short Film Festival in Japan, and CSU Media Arts Fest. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two teenage children..all actors!
In an environment where less than ten percent of dramas on television are directed by women, Bethany Rooney has enjoyed a long and esteemed career. She has directed over one hundred and fifty episodes of prime-time network shows, including Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Castle, and Private Practice. For cable television, she has directed In Plain Sight, Weeds, and Drop Dead Diva. She began her directing career on the 1980's iconic television show, St. Elsewhere, where she had served as associate producer. She has also directed eight television movies, including three Danielle Steel adaptations for NBC. Her movies have earned reviews such as the following from… Variety: "Bethany Rooney's sensitive direction makes for some vivid and understated moments, and the Hollywood Reporter noted her "carefully paced and involving direction (featuring) magnificent acting. She has directed Oscar winners and contenders Denzel Washington, Hilary Swank, Mary Tyler Moore, Angela Bassett, George Clooney, Alfre Woodard, Felicity Huffman, Sally Field, and Robert Downey Jr., among many others. Ms. Rooney also wrote the television movie "Absolution which aired on Lifetime Television. Ms. Rooney graduated from Bowling Green State University in Ohio with a masters' degree. She taught directing at UCLA Extension and numerous acting workshops in the LA area, most recently through Steppenwolf Theatre West. She is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and has served on several committees for the Directors Guild of America. Ms. Rooney lives with her husband and son in Los Angeles.